The East Palace stars Nam Joo Hyuk and Roh Yoon Seo reunited for ELLE Korea’s August issue.
The mystery fantasy follows Gu Cheon, who can cross into the spirit world, and Saeng Gang, who can hear ghosts, as they investigate a curse haunting the royal palace. Their supernatural abilities inspired the shoot’s “strange alliance” concept.
Nam Joo Hyuk said he was hooked from the start. “It was the perfect story to read at night,” he said. “I read two pages, put it down because it was so good, then finished through Episode 4 in one sitting.”
Roh Yoon Seo added, “It felt like playing a game. The images kept forming in my head and stayed with me long after I finished.”
For his first project since completing military service, Nam Joo Hyuk trained in sword fighting and action. “I got to release all the hunger for acting I had built up during my service,” he said. “It was physically demanding, but just as rewarding.”
Roh Yoon Seo trained in horseback riding, sword fighting, and stunt work. To portray Saeng Gang hearing ghosts, she imagined the camera as the spirits’ point of view.
The actors stressed that the series is not simply about fighting ghosts. “I never thought of it as killing them,” Nam Joo Hyuk explained. “Gu Cheon helps spirits resolve their grudges and move on.”
Roh Yoon Seo said Gu Cheon and Saeng Gang develop a bond “beyond love or friendship” as they uncover the curse together.
She singled out a late-series reunion as especially memorable. “It naturally felt like they had truly become people who relied on each other,” she said.
Nam Joo Hyuk added, “That scene was possible because of everything we had built from the beginning.”
The two actors also praised co-star Cho Seung Woo. Roh Yoon Seo said she learned from the way he built his character’s story even in scenes where he did not appear, while Nam Joo Hyuk admired how he anchored the entire production.
Asked what keeps them moving forward, Nam Joo Hyuk said, “I believe nothing is impossible. I learned back when I played basketball that in the end, you just have to do it.”
Roh Yoon Seo added, “Even when you acknowledge your shortcomings, you ultimately have to trust yourself to keep moving forward.”
>> ‘The East Palace’ Review: Nam Joo Hyuk’s Paranormal Detective Role Has Fans on Edge
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